In a recent report, Calciomercatoweb mentioned that Arsenal are eyeing a move for Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo this summer. It has been claimed that the Gunners could send Lucas Torreira in the other direction to bring the Brazilian talent to North London this off-season.
Melo’s Lackluster Season At The Allianz Stadium
Melo endured a tough campaign with Juve recently as he struggled to perform at his best at the centre of their midfield. The South American talent failed to find the back of the net and picked up just one assist in 31 matches for the Italian outfit last season in multiple competitions.
The 25-year-old failed to be consistent with his contributions at the centre of the park after he averaged 1.3 tackles, 0.4 interceptions, 0.4 clearances and 0.5 dribbles per game in Serie A. Still, Melo was excellent with his ball distribution as he completed 89.7% of his attempted passes in the Italian top tier (stats via whoscored).
Is Melo A Good Choice For Arsenal?
Melo is a good passer of the ball and can set up a few decent chances for his teammates in the opposition half when he is playing well on the field.
The Brazil international can get stuck in with some crunching tackles to make life difficult for the opposition at the centre of the park but needs to figure out a way to be more consistent with his midfield contributions. He is primarily a holding midfielder but can even fill in as an energetic, box-to-box midfielder if required.
Arsenal can definitely use someone of Melo’s skillset if Mikel Arteta fancies getting the best out of him in the coming seasons. The Brazilian sensation could be a good choice for the Gunners as he will enhance the quality of their midfield department.
Therefore, the North London outfit should think about using Lucas Torreira as a makeweight to seal a move for Melo during this summer transfer window. At 25, the Juve midfielder’s best years are ahead of him, so he is well-equipped to help Arsenal get back to the Premier League’s top four over the next few years.
